Several distinct nursing career options are available in North Carolina. Each nursing role carries a unique set of educational training and licensure requirements.
Registered nurse
North Carolina
We've organized a comprehensive list of North Carolina nursing schools. Below you'll find information on specific nursing programs such as LPN certificates and ADN, BSN, and MSN degrees. You'll also find a profile of nursing education and careers in each major North Carolina city.
The first step towards a career as a licensed practical nurse is enrolling in an LPN diploma program at one of North Carolina’s community colleges or vocational schools. These programs are fairly brief, typically requiring twelve months of fulltime study. The North Carolina Board of Nursing has approved nearly forty LPN diploma programs across the state, providing students a broad menu of options from which to choose.
Charlotte’s aspiring nurses can achieve licensure through a variety of education pathways. Each pathway is specific to one of the four major nursing roles.
Certified nursing assistant
North Carolina nursing programs and careers
City-specific information
North Carolina’s nurses typically fall into one of three major nursing roles. Each role requires a different education pathway to achieve qualification, and each role carries unique duties. In addition, compensation varies greatly by nursing role.
Certified nursing assistant
A master of science in nursing (MSN) program enables registered nurses who already hold a bachelor’s degree to pursue graduate study. An MSN program qualifies its graduates to work as advanced practice registered nurse (APRNs) in specialized roles like nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, and nurse anesthetist.
APRN specializations
For our 2021 rankings of prelicensure BSN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Aspiring registered nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-RN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of bachelor’s degree programs.
Many aspiring nurses keep a close eye on the cost of attending nursing school. The all-in cost of enrollment is comprised of several distinct components, which we profile below.
Tuition
Public colleges and universities receive subsidies from the state government. Hence, they are able to offer state residents significantly lower tuition fees than private schools. Public institutions are a good option for students concerned about the financial costs of nursing education.
Public nursing schools in North Carolina
Many of North Carolina’s public colleges and universities are very large in size, with student enrollments in the tens of thousands. They are thus well-known by the state’s nursing employers, who hold them in high esteem.
A private college or university is an independent school which does not receive direct government subsidies. Private institutions thus usually charge their students higher tuition than their public counterparts. However, with this higher cost come several benefits.
Private school benefits
Several distinct nursing career options are available in North Carolina. Each nursing role carries a unique set of educational training and licensure requirements.
Registered nurse